So social media has been exploding recently with the opening of mega Korean marketplace at Big Box, “I’M STARTICE”, selling all kinds of stuff from the land of SHINee and BTS. But this got us thinking… When it comes to Korean makeup products, what exactly does the shop stock that we can’t already get elsewhere? Or rather, what‘s so special about this shop? Here’s our analysis of what they offer, and if it’s really worth your trip down.
Korean Makeup and Beauty Products I’M STARTICE stocks:
Source: Merzy
Merzy The First Gel Eyeliner in #Dutch Brown – $7.90
To be completely honest, as a k-beauty fan myself, I’ve never heard of this brand. And it’s peculiar how the display only stocks 1 particular colour choice (what if I wanted this in black?). But a quick search online shows you can find it online on Qoo10. Except this eyeliner is waaay more expensive online (it’s selling for $24.40 for 2). So if you’re ever in a brown “Merzy” mood, you can get your eyeliner fix here for cheaper.
Source: Innisfree
Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Masks – $1.90
Fans of Innisfree’s sheet masks can now rejoice! Because there’s a shop that’s selling them at $0.10 cheaper than Singapore’s Innisfree outlets!
… IF you’re staying in the Jurong East area that is. Or if you enjoy making a trip down to shop and walk around the vicinity (that’s the only thing that justifies spending transport money to save 10 cents).
But if you’re not that into making your way down…You can find the same masks at 50% off original prices ($1) at Qoo10.
Source: Klavuu
Klavuu White Pearlsation Enriched Divine Pearl Serum Mask – $7/pc
They do sell them in the original box of 5 pieces, which shouldn’t cost more than $35. But hey, even at that price, I’M STARTICE is actually selling them at a really reasonable price. In fact, it’s the cheapest you can find in the Singaporean market now. The same box sold on Qoo10 for $63.51, iPrice for $42.30, and Ubuy for $61. That’s a really huge price difference.
Source: Amazon
Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB – $17.90
If you’re a k-beauty fan like me, you’ve probably already heard about this product one way or another through one of those beauty guru video reviews and what not. Well, IM STARTICE actually stocks this. But if you can wait a few days longer for this product to be delivered to you, you can get it cheaper on Qoo10 for $14.76.
Is I’M STARTICE the best place for Korean Makeup and other K-beauty finds?
Yes and no. We’ve pointed out that this shop does offer the cheapest rate in Singapore for certain products. And depending on the price difference of the individual items you’re looking for, you may/may not be able to find them cheaper online. What’s more, if you use a good online shopping card like the OCBC Frank Card, you can even get a further 6% rebate from shopping online.
But the question is whether this shop actually stocks the product you want; Their makeup section is currently limited to a mini shelf section, and their product selections are curated right down to particular colour variations. In that sense, I’M STARTICE is definitely not a one-stop shop for all your k-beauty needs. But rather, a place you go to test out brands/products you never thought to try before, at potentially cheaper prices.
Korean makeup and beauty products we hope I’M STARTICE will bring in
Source: Soko Glam
Manefit masks
A brand specializing in sheet masks, Manefit has been on US-based online marketplace Soko Glam’s curated list of items for awhile. And this indicates this item is either a cult-favourite, or it’s tested and proven to be good. This isn’t surprising because their masks are made by the same manufacturers of big names under the AmorePacific umbrella, such as Innisfree and Sulwhasoo. And if you knew how expensive Sulwhasoo is, heh, you’ll get that Manefit masks are a steal.
Manefit’s set of 5 masks retails for US$22 (S$29.97) on Soko Glam, while Sulwhasoo’s set of 5 masks retails for S$72 on Zalora.
Source: Beautylish
The Ordinary’s line of skincare
Although this brand can already be found on Lazada, The Ordinary’s line of skincare products is really vast and specialised. As opposed to multi-tasking products that address a slew of skin issues at once, this brand has individual formulations to address every specific skincare need. The problem is, most of us have so many issues with our skin, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact one. And there’s no better way than having this skincare line in a store for us to test out how each of the formulations fare on our skin.
Would you be making your trip down to I’M STARTICE at Big Box soon? Let us know!
Header Image Credit: Big Box